Taekwondo stakeholders have expressed disappointment as the Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Dalung on Wednesday inaugurated the board of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation. The Minister inaugurated the board at a brief ceremony held at the Conference Room of the ministry.
National Daily gathered that “Let me charge you that the era of sole administration is gone for good. Every federation must hold regular meetings as provided for.
Inability to hold your quarterly meetings is inviting the board to sit and impeach you. It is a collective responsibility and the board is responsible to Nigerians,” the Minsiter said.
But aggrieved stakeholders described the inauguration a daylight robbery.
National Daily gathered that ACP Gideon Akinsola (rtd) on behalf of the group, taekwondo stakeholders frowned at the alledged manipulations by the leadership of the sports ministry.
“Many times have the delegates trooped to Abuja to vote for the NTF President at great expenses, on the invitation of the Sports Ministry, for elections that couldn’t hold.
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At the last call on July 21, the information was that the delegates would be called back to Abuja in two weeks for the final elections for the position of the NTF President.
“The big question is why the hurried inauguration without a completed ballot when the NTF President is yet to be elected? It reeks of conspiracy, complicity and compromise,” the press statement read.
The stakeholders urged Dalung to create room for peace and not drag the Federation back into its dark days.
National Daily gathered that “The Honourable Minister must not allow himself to be dragged or associated with such unacceptable and undemocratic process. We the true Taekwondo Stakeholders have toiled for years to get to this level and we say a big NO to such undemocratic process. This is neither a military regime nor a dictatorship.
“Let it be noted by the teeming taekwondo practitioners, club owners, media, NTF, NOC, IOC, AFTU, WTF and the world at large, that anything short of a proper election to choose the next NTF President will be unacceptable in its entirety.”